Cattle Market Pulse

Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report

Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 8, 2020

1,890 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Stockmen's Livestock Exchange report →

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $128.60/cwt ≈ $1,249/hd at 971 lb · 127 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $138.12/cwt ≈ $1,077/hd at 780 lb · 115 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $143.98/cwt ≈ $1,202/hd at 835 lb · 104 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,890 1,446 0
Feeder cattle 1,890 — 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: Feeder steers 750-800 lbs 3.00 lower, 850-900 lbs 8.00 lower, 950-1000lbs 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers 700-750 lbs 2.00 higher, 750-800 lbs 1.00 lower, 800-850 lbs 4.00 higher, 850-900 lbs 7.00 higher. Demand was good to moderate on today's offering of feeder steers and heifers. Quality was mostly attractive with feeders in light to moderate flesh. Next sale is scheduled for October 14, 2020 expecting 3500 new crop calves.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
443–447 445 7 165.00–167.00 $166.14 $739
563–569 566 20 141.00–146.00 $143.24 $811
628–647 633 11 135.50–145.00 $142.35 $901
666 666 20 144.00–144.50 $144.10 $960
702–722 709 17 139.75–142.00 $140.61 $997
784–795 791 30 140.00–144.25 $142.85 $1,130
825–847 835 104 135.25–147.25 $143.98 $1,202
880–892 885 22 132.50–136.75 $134.86 $1,194
951–971 957 28 131.50–132.75 $132.03 $1,264
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1012–1033 1016 30 125.50–131.75 $130.48 $1,326
1066–1090 1083 47 113.50–127.75 $125.99 $1,364
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
649 649 16 128.00 $128.00 $831
731 731 9 124.00 $124.00 $906

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
499 499 7 135.00 $135.00 $674
515–547 535 8 135.50–140.00 $138.38 $740
602–635 618 47 121.00–135.50 $129.49 $800
656–687 680 27 137.00–143.50 $142.11 $966
724–742 731 84 142.50–143.00 $142.57 $1,042
763–792 780 115 133.50–145.00 $138.12 $1,077
814–848 827 40 133.50–139.50 $137.23 $1,135
853–892 876 97 128.50–141.75 $134.03 $1,174
915–948 926 75 129.00–133.00 $131.93 $1,222
958–987 971 127 122.00–129.75 $128.60 $1,249
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1013–1049 1033 63 123.50–126.75 $126.18 $1,303
1069–1076 1073 11 116.00–125.50 $120.30 $1,291
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
521–546 529 12 123.00–124.00 $123.34 $652
749 749 7 118.00 $118.00 $884

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.